Item Counting Device for Container Lid

ABSTRACT

A container closure that counts items inserted into the container is disclosed. The closure includes a lid structure that has a container sealing means around a perimeter thereof and an aperture traversing the lid structure. A flap is adapted to substantially seal the aperture and is fixed with a hinge at one edge thereof to a bottom side of the lid structure. A counting mechanism is fixed to the lid structure and includes an actuating lever having an actuator linkage fixed to the flap. The counting mechanism is adapted to increment a counter of the counting mechanism when the flap is moved from a closed position towards an open position. Preferably the actuator linkage is a coil spring such that the flap only needs to travel a short distance towards its open position to actuate the actuating lever. Thereafter, once the actuator linkage has pulled the actuating lever into its actuating position and the counter has been incremented, the coil spring expands as necessary to permit the item to traverse the aperture between the flap and the lid structure.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 60/919,586, filed on Mar. 23, 2007, and incorporated hereinby reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to containers, and more particularly to acontainer closure with an item counting function.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

While fishing, it is often convenient to store caught fish in acontainer, and towards that end containers with easily opened lids oreasily opened apertures in lids have been devised. For example, U.S.Pat. No. 6,460,287 to Louie on Oct. 8, 2002 teaches a lid having a smalltackle box function as well as a hinged cover for an aperture forreceiving fish. U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,297 to Ward on Mar. 28, 2006; U.S.Pat. No. D425,600 to Pas et al. on May 23, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,540to Brower on Feb. 22, 1977; and U.S. Pat. No. D532,860 to Richardson etal. on Nov. 28, 2006 all teach similar containers designed to hold fishand each having a closable aperture in the lids thereof. When fishing,and particularly on a good fishing day, it is often easy to lose countof the number of fish caught over a period of time. These types ofprior-art container devices, however, must be opened and quite often thefish must be handled within the container in order to accurately countthe number of fish therein if one has forgotten the number of fish thathave been caught. As such, a container that includes a counting functionwould be desirable while fishing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,291 to Mielke onOct. 20, 1992 teaches such a device. A biased flap is openable byinserting a fish through an aperture in the lid of such a device, and amanually actuable counter may then be adjusted. However, with such adevice it is easy to forget to advance the counter, or to forget if onehas already advanced the counter, after placing a fish into thecontainer. As such, the counter of such a device may not accuratelyreflect the number of fish in the container. Further, the lid and biasedflap of such a device is integrally formed with the container,preventing its use on other containers that may be more appropriate tothe size or number of fish being caught. U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,016 toWelcher on Aug. 24, 1999 teaches an insulated cooler having an openingin a lid thereof, the opening covered by a biased flap that is operableconnected to a counting device that increments the counter when anobject is inserted into the container through the opening. Such a devicesuffers from the drawback that the particular container to which it isattached must be used, such as the insulated cooler shown in FIG. 1. Thelid of such a device cannot be used with alternate containers that maybe more appropriate to the size or number of fish being caught.

As fishing often requires long periods of time sitting, fishermen oftenbring portable chairs in addition to tackle boxes, fish pails, and otherfishing gear. Certain containers, such as the common five-gallon orsix-gallon bucket used by painters, are tall enough to also serve as aseat, albeit an uncomfortable seat. U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,805 to Rineharton Dec. 24, 1996 teaches a combination seat and container, allowing sucha container to also be used as a cushioned seat. However, such a devicerequires one to raise a seat cushion of such a device in order to gainaccess to the container, which means one must stand before being able tointroduce items into the container.

Therefore, there is a need for a device that can be used with the commonfive or six gallon bucket, and which allows a user to introduce fishinto the bucket while remaining seated. Such a device wouldautomatically count the number of items introduced into the bucketaccurately, and would further allow different containers to be usedtherewith based on changing needs of the user. Such a needed devicewould also provide means for carrying a small amount of fishing tackle,and would allow the device to be easily carried by the handle of thebucket once selectively attached thereto. The present inventionaccomplishes these objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present device is a closure for a container, such as a standardfive-gallon or six-gallon paint bucket, or the like. The closureincludes a lid structure that has a container sealing means around aperimeter thereof The lid structure includes a top side, a bottom side,and an aperture traversing the lid structure. A flap is adapted tosubstantially seal the aperture and is fixed with a hinge at one edgethereof to the bottom side of the lid structure. The flap is pivotablebetween an open position and a closed position 100.

A counting mechanism is fixed to the lid structure and includes anactuating lever having an actuator linkage fixed thereto at a top endthereof The actuator linkage is fixed at a bottom end thereof to theflap and preferably urges the flap into its closed position. Thecounting mechanism is adapted to increment a counter of the countingmechanism by actuating the actuating lever when the flap is moved fromits closed position towards its open position.

Preferably the actuator linkage is a coil spring such that the flap onlyneeds to travel a short distance towards its open position to actuatethe actuating lever. Thereafter, once the actuator linkage has pulledthe actuating lever into its actuating position and the counter has beenincremented, the coil spring expands as necessary to permit the item totraverse the aperture between the flap and the lid structure. Thecounting mechanism preferably further includes a reset button that, whenpressed or otherwise actuated, resets the counter to zero.

A seat may be fixed to the top side of the lid structure, so that itemssuch as fish, for instance, may be easily dropped between the legs ofthe user into the container and thereby counted with the closure.Further, a small container may be included on the top side of the lidstructure for holding small items, such as fishing tackle, or the like.Still further, a water-impermeable cover may be included and selectivelypositionable in a covering position around the counting mechanism or ina disengaged position away from the counting mechanism.

The present invention is a device that can be used with thecommonly-known five or six gallon bucket. The present device allows theuser to introduce fish into the bucket while remaining seated. Further,the present invention automatically and accurately counts the number ofitems introduced into the bucket, and may be used with a variety ofdifferent containers as appropriate for the changing needs of the user.The present invention also provides means for carrying fishing tackleand may be easily carried by a handle of the bucket once selectivelyattached to the bucket. Other features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following more detaileddescription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a closure for a container lid;

FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom-side view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a left-side elevational view of the invention, illustrating aflap of the invention in a closed position;

FIG. 4 is a left-side elevational view of the invention, illustratingthe flap of the invention in an open position; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 and 5 illustrate a closure 10 for a container 20, such as astandard five-gallon paint bucket, or the like. The closure 10 includesa lid structure 40 that has a container sealing means 50 around aperimeter 45 thereof (FIG. 2). The lid structure 40 is preferably moldedfrom a rigid plastic material, but may also be a formed metal materialor other suitably rigid material.

The sealing means 50 preferably includes a plurality of mechanical snaps170 for selectively holding the closure 10 to the container 20. The lidstructure 40 includes a top side 46, a bottom side 44, and an aperture60 traversing the lid structure 40 from the top side 46 to the bottomside 44.

A flap 70 is adapted to substantially seal the aperture 60 and is fixedwith a hinge 80 at one edge 75 thereof to the bottom side 44 of the lidstructure 40. The flap 70 is pivotable between an open position (FIG. 4)and a closed position 100 (FIG. 3), and is preferably made from a rigidplastic material. The hinge 80 may further include a spring 85 forurging the flap 70 into its closed position 100. In one embodiment, theflap 70 is made from a transparent or translucent plastic, such asacrylic or polycarbonate, such that a user 230 may observe the contentsof the container 20 without having to remove the closure 10 or open theflap 70.

A counting mechanism 110 is fixed to the lid structure 40 and includesan actuating lever 120 having an actuator linkage 130 fixed thereto at atop end 136 thereof. The actuator linkage 130 is fixed at a bottom end134 thereof to the flap 70 and preferably urges the flap 70 into itsclosed position 100. The counting mechanism 110 is adapted to incrementa counter 140 by actuating the actuating lever 120 when the flap 70 ismoved from its closed position 100 towards its open position 90. Theactuating lever 120 is of the type having a normal position (FIG. 3) andan actuated position (FIG. 4), and is normally urged into the normalposition.

Preferably the actuator linkage 130 is a coil spring 150, asillustrated, such that the flap 70 only needs to travel a short distancetowards its open position 90 to actuate the actuating lever 120 (FIGS. 3and 4), the coil spring 150 having a greater spring force than thaturging the actuating lever 120 into its normal position. Thereafter,once the actuator linkage 130 has pulled the actuating lever 120 intoits actuating position and the counter 140 has been incremented, thecoil spring 150 expands as necessary to permit the item 30 to traversethe aperture 60 between the flap 70 and the lid structure 40. Thecounting mechanism 110 preferably further includes a reset button 160that, when pressed or otherwise actuated, resets the counter 140 tozero.

A seat 180 may be fixed to the top side 46 of the lid structure 40, suchthat a user 230 may be seated therein, supported above the top side 46of the lid structure 40 by the seat 180, lid structure 40, and container20. As such, the items 30, such as fish, may be easily dropped betweenthe legs of the user 230 into the container 20 and thereby counted withthe closure 10. Further, a small container 190 may be included on thetop side 46 of the lid structure 40 for holding small items 35, such asfishing tackle, or the like. Still further, a water-impermeable cover200 (FIG. 4) may be included and selectively positionable in a coveringposition 210 around the counting mechanism 110 or in a disengagedposition 220 away from the counting mechanism. Such a cover 200 may bemade from a transparent or translucent material, such as acrylic or thelike, to allow the user 230 an unobstructed view of the counter 140.

While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be apparent that various modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Forexample, the counter 140 may be a mechanically-incremented display or anelectronic display, as is known in the art. Accordingly, it is notintended that the invention be limited, except as by the appendedclaims.

1. A closure for a container that counts items, comprising: a lidstructure having a container sealing means around a perimeter thereof, atop side, a bottom side, and an aperture traversing the lid structurefrom the top side to the bottom side; a flap adapted to substantiallyseal the aperture and fixed with a hinge at one edge thereof to thebottom side of the lid structure, the flap pivotable between an open andclosed position; a counting mechanism fixed to the lid structure, themechanism including an actuating lever having an actuator linkage fixedthereto at a top end, the actuator linkage fixed at a bottom end to theflap and urging the flap into its closed position, the countingmechanism adapted to increment a counter when the flap is moved from itsclosed position towards its open position.
 2. The closure of claim 1wherein the actuator linkage is a coil spring.
 3. The closure of claim 1wherein the counting mechanism further includes a reset button forresetting the counter to zero.
 4. The closure of claim 1 wherein thecontainer sealing means includes mechanical snaps for selectivelyholding the closure to the container.
 5. The closure of claim 1 furtherincluding a seat fixed to the top side thereof.
 6. The closure of claim1 further including a container for small items fixed to the top sidethereof.
 7. The closure of claim 1 wherein the counting mechanismfurther includes a water-impermeable cover that is selectivelypositionable in a covering position around the counting mechanism or ina disengaged position away from the counting mechanism.
 8. The closureof claim 1 wherein the flap is additionally biased into its closedposition by a spring fixed to the hinge.